Soaking pit curb



L. J. HARTLE SOAKING PIT CURB Filed Feb. 24, 1956 Jan. 14, I958 R. HAETLE.

' I wy Jaz's g I I INVENTO Laura J.

GTT'OEA/E Ys United States Patent ton Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 24, 1956, Serial No. 567,544 soiaims. calm-181) I This invention relates to the curbs that extend around the tops of ingot soaking pits.

An ingot heating or soaking pit generally is surrounded at its top by a curb formed from a row of bricks or tiles, molded from a non-metallic refractory, the inner ends of which are exposed to the heat in the pit. The curb is provided with a channel or trough that receives sand which forms a seal around the lower edge of the soaking pit cover. Due to accidents, generally caused by a swinging ingot striking the inner part of the tiles, the upwardly projecting inner ends of the curb tiles are broken. The entire broken tile then must be replaced, which is a rather time-consuming and difiicult job be-- cause the tiles are held in place by fire clay or high temperature mortar. Also, when the broken tile is removed, sand flows into the gap left by it, and before this sand can be removed a considerable amount of it finds its way between the refractory wall of the pit and the outer steel plate that sheaths it, eventually causing the refractory wall to bulge inward.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a soaking pit curb which is formed from non-metallic tiles that are made in pieces or blocks hooked together, whereby only the broken block need be replaced, which can be done quickly and easily. Another object is to provide such a curb in which each tile is formed from only two parts that can be made of different materials best suited to the functions they have to perform.

In accordance with this invention, a soaking pit curb is formed from a plurality of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having the usual central portions of reduced height to form a sand-receiving trough in the curb. Each tile is formed from inner and outer blocks. The outer block includes all of the reduced central portion of the tile and has a projection on top of its inner end. The inner block has an outwardly extending portion overlappingthe top of the inner end portion of the outer block, and is provided with an upwardly extending recess receiving the projection to hold thetwo blocks together. If the inner block is broken, it is an easy matter to remove the remaining fragment of that block and replace it with a new inner block. The inner block can be made from high temperature refractory material, and the outer block from a lower temperature material having greater strength than the inner block.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side view and vertical section through an upper corner of a soaking pit;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through one of the tiles from which the curb is formed;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is aside view of a tile, showing the top of the inner block being knocked 01?.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, an ingot heating or soaking pit is provided with the usual refractory side nullify it. By reference to Fig.

walls 1 enclosed by a steel plate sheathing 2. Laid on top of the refractory wall is a curb 3, which extends around the pit and is formed from non-metallic refractory tiles that are laid with fire clay joints between them. The central portion of each tile is not much more than half as high as the end portions, so that the curb is provided in its top with a trough 4 that extends around the top of the pit. This trough is filled with sand (not shown) that forms a seal for the lower edge of the removable pit cover to prevent hot gases in the pit from escaping around the lower edge of the cover. When an ingot is deposited in or removed from the pit by the usual overhead crane, the craneman may miscalculate the distance and allow the lower end of the ingot to strike the upwardly projecting "inner end of one or more of the tiles. The ingot usually strikes the pit side of that end of the tile. This results in the projection. being knocked otf toward the outer end of the tile, whereby a replacement is required. It is to this replacement problem that this invention is directed primarily.

In accordance with this invention the curb is not formed from solid one-piece tiles as heretofore, but each tile is divided into two blocks 5 and 6 that normally are locked together. To form the two blocks the tile is divided transversely near its inner end in such a position that all of the reduced central portion of the tile forms an integral part of the outer block 6. The smaller inner block 5 substantially abuts against the reduced inner end of the outer block; that is, the'two blocks are kept from engaging each other initially only by a thin layer of fire clay that forms a. thin joint 7 between them.

It is a feature of this invention that the two blocks are held together by means of an interengaging projection and recess, the projection being on top of the inner end of the outer block, and the recess being in the bottom of an overlapping portion of the inner block. Preferably, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the projection is in the form of a rib 8 extending across the top of the reduced inner end of the outer block. This rib projects up into a transverse slot 9 in the bottom of an outwardly projecting portion of the inner block which overlaps the inner end portion of the outer block. The two blocks therefore are hooked together permitting the inner block to be replaced easily if it is broken.

In order to protect the rib 3 from damage when the inner block is broken, it is highly desirable to provide extra clearance between the rib and the wall of recess 9 so that they will not be likely to strike together when the top of the inner block is knocked off. Some clearance between the overlapping portions of the two blocks is Wanted in order to take care of variations in the size of the blocks, but the extra clearance referred to above is at the space 10 between the inner wall of recess 9 and the "inner face of the rib. Of course, the fire clay joint 7 should no't be extended up into that space, as that would 4, it will be seen that when the upper part of the inner block is broken off and knocked-outward,'its outer end generally will engage the underlying outer block and form a pivot on which the broken piece will rock outward. Clearance space 10 will help the broken chunk to clear the rib without striking against it and possibly breaking the rib. The clearance space is even more important for a replacement inner block, because when such a block is replaced, it usually is not the practice to fill the joint 7 with fire clay. Consequently, the two blocks may engage each other directly and if it were not for space 10 the inner block also would engage flat against the rib.

In setting a tile in place originally as part of the soaking of fire clay. hooked over the rib and pressed 3 against the fire clay in joint 7. Fire clay is used in setting the tiles so as to fill the joints and yet not create a permanent bond between the tiles and blocks, thus mak ing the inner blocks 5 easily replaceable. To help keep sand in the trough from sifting in between the inner blocks and possibly filling the clearance space around the ribs, fire clay may be used between the trough sides of the inner blocks. For this purpose it is desirable to charnfer the blocks at 11 to form clay-receiving grooves.

In case the inner end of a curb tile is struck by an ingot moving into or out of the soaking pit, the outer block 6 of the tile will not be damaged. The most that will happen is that the inner block 5 will be broken. It is not difiicult for a workman to dislodge any remaining part of the inner block, whereupon a new inner block can be hooked over the rib. It not only is much quicker and easier to remove a broken inner block than an entire tile, but since the portion of the tile that forms the outer wall and bottom of the sand trough remains in place, there is little trouble with sand escaping from the trough or get- 3 ting in the way during repalcement of the broken parts of the tile. The rib 8 will help retain the sand on the outer block. There is no danger at all of the sand filtering down between the refractory wall of the pit and the surrounding metal plates 2. The cost of an inner block replacement also is considerably less than the cost of an entire tile.

Another advantage of this invention is that the inner block 5 can be made of high temperature material, which will prevent fluxing action at high temperature, and the outer block can be made of a lower temperature refractory which has considerably more strength, because the inner block shields the outer block from the intense heat of the soaking pit.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A soaking pit curb formed from a course of nonmetallic refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a top sand-receiving trough in the curb for receiving the lower edge of a removable cover, each tile comprising inner and outer blocks having their adjacent ends substantially abutting each other at the inner side of the trough, the outer block including all of said central portion and having a projection on top of its inner end, the bottom of the trough being formed by the upper surfaces of said central portions, and the inner block having an outwardly extending portion overlapping the top of the inner end portion of the outer block and forming the inner side of said trough, said overlapping portion being provided with an upwardly extending recess receiving said projection to hold the two blocks together.

2. A soaking pit curb according to claim 1, in which the inner wall of said said projection to keep the inner block from striking the projection in case the inner block is knocked outward toward the outer block.

recess is spaced far enough from. w

3. A soaking pit curb formed from a course of nonmetallic refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a top sand-receiving trough in the curb for receiving the lower edge of a removable cover, each tile comprising inner and outer blocks having their adjacent ends substantialy abutting each other at the inner side of the trough, the outer block including all of said central portion and having a rib extending across the top of its inner end, the bottom of the trough being formed by the upper surfaces of said central portions, and the inner block having an outwardly extending portion overlapping the top of the inner end portion of the outer block and forming the inner side of said trough, said overlapping portion being provided with an upwardly extending transverse slot receiving said rib to hook the inner block onto the outer block.

4, In a soaking pit, a refractory wall, rigid metal sheathing engaging the outer surface of the wall, and a curb mounted on top of the wall and formed from a plurality of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a coverreceiving trough in the curb, each tile comprising inner and outer blocks seated on said wall and having their adjacent ends substantially abutting each other at the inner side of the trough, the outer block including all of said central portion and having a rib extending across the top of its inner end, the bottom of the trough being formed by the upper surfaces of said central portions, and the vinner block having an outwardly extending portion overlapping the top of the inner end portion of the outer block to form the inner wall of said trough and being provided with an upwardly extending transverse slot receiving said rib to hook the inner block onto the outer block.

5. A soaking pit curb tile of elongated shape having parallel sides and a central portion of less height than its ends to form a transverse trough in its top, the tile comprising inner and outer non-metallic refractory blocks having their adjacent ends substantially abutting each other at the inner side of the trough and having flat bottoms forming a flat lower surface for the tile, the outer block including all of said central portion and having a projection on top of its inner end, the bottom of the trough being formed by the upper surface of said central portion of the outer block, the inner block having an outwardly extending portion overlapping the top of the inner end portion of the outer block and forming the inner side-of saidtrough, said overlapping portion being provided with an upwardly extending recess receiving said projection to hold the two blocks together, and the inner wall of said recess being spaced from said projection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,520 MacDoland Oct. 21, 1947 2,665,895 Herman Jan. 12, 1954 2,744,479 Hartle May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,517 Germany Mar. 19, 1933 

